I’m writing for tomorrow and have a lot to do. In fact, I may be a bit scarce for the next couple of days. I’ve been tentatively approved for a level of volunteer authorization that will allow me to enter and move within the prison without direct supervision from staff. To complete the approval process, I have to read a manual, complete a written examination at home, and submit it within the next few days. Then I have to attend a training session in Salem early next month, and an institution orientation. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:57 (average 4:19). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:From Upworthy: Some people say America has the #1 health care system in the world. Those people are probably not counting the other 36 countries that are beating us. Aasif Mandvi decided to go investigate whether we really have the not-best system ever. What he finds is kind of appalling. At 4:00 is the most awkward 15 seconds I’ve seen in quite some time. If you live in Canada and have fancy universal health care,you can watch it here. (or here).

LOL!! That Republican liar was so dumbfounded that he was looking for a way to bury his head between his own nether cheeks!!

From The New Yorker: President Obama has sparked outrage in Congress and renewed calls for his impeachment by signing a daring Presidential memorandum that would pay workers enough to eat.

The memorandum, which is based on the President’s view that people should be paid for the hours they actually work, is shaping up as one of the most controversial and incendiary actions of his Presidency.

House Republican leaders held a press conference this morning to warn Obama that, by advancing his agenda of paying people for the work they do, he is “playing with political fire.”

“A Presidential memorandum is a powerful tool and should be used sparingly,” said House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). “It is not a vehicle for this President to enact his pet theories about people earning enough to survive.”

Short version: The GOP is a staggering corpse that is fading into irrelevance and the real future is in the fight between pro-corporate Democrats and pro-worker Democrats.

Krystal did a superior job of elucidating something I’ve been saying for years. Instead of waiting for an election year and whining that Democratic candidates don’t represent them, as so many lazy lefties do, we need to be taking control of the Democratic Party at the grassroots level as though every year was an election year.

16 Responses to “Open Thread–3/16/2014”

Goodness me TomCat – that volunteer authorisation sounds amazing – well done you for going for it – the prison must be convinced of your good work, mustn't they! Kudos indeed! Well done TC!!

TC I have tried every which way a number of times to watch the Upworthy clip of Jon Stewart's show – and I can't, not even on the normal Channel Four or Comedy Central that usually works – so I will just have to be envious of the rest of you who can watch it – which politician (presumably) was it who accidentally insulted the US in it?

I would suggest just a one word alteration in the last line of Krystal Clear's excellent peroration – not 'Do we want a society governed for the needs of the many or the desires of the few?!' I would have said GREEDS of the few. Good for her – and all like her!

NEW YORKER: Another waste of time and money, for Congress, with the idea of impeaching Obama as it is to repeal the HealthCare/ACA for the 51st time at 1 million a pop.!

SHORT TAKES: UPWORTHY: America has the #1 health care system in the world.
Third World Health Care: Knoxville, Tennessee
6 minute excerpt from Jon Stewart Show, Thursday, March 6, 2014 via HULU.
"At 4:00 is the most awkward 15 seconds I’ve seen in quite some time."

7:13 but it could have been worse. I could have stopped to change the battery DURING the puzzle.

Upworthy – Third world health conditions within the US are a big part of why Wendell Potter left the health insurance industry for an honest job. This film is great. I have a nagging feeling it was shot out of order though. I don't see Todd Wilemon getting all cheery-conspiratorial-high-five with Aasif after that scene at 4:00. Republicans are too angry.

New Yorker – I wish he could! Yeah, in a way he did, but it can only apply to Federal and Federal contractor employees. Some of the people who badly need the minimum wage increase are small business owners who would love to increase their employees' compensation but would get undercut out of business unless everyone else does it too.

Daily Kos – "We need to be taking control of the Democratic Party at the grassroots level as though every year was an election year." Fine. Agreed. Let's go do it, you guys. You guys? Hello? Where are you? I can't do this alone!
And while we go play hide and seek, the brainwashed GOP stay in power. Worse, they tie us up in legislation and court decisions designed to keep them that way. (The TPP comes to mind.)
Sure, their ideology is completely discredited. Unfortunately that fact doesn't stop the juggernaut.

Cartoon: I'm not ready to say "It's over. We lost." But we have had a lot of losses.

You will be a great asset to that program. Just don't overdo it and stress out studying and trying to get this blog going. You are only 1 person and your name's not Superman (yet).

Upworthy ~ "Obviously people are going to slip through the cracks" and "people can stop being poor" are 2 of the stupidest statements out of his mouth. He would have been better off staring off into space like he did earlier and saying nothing.

New Yorker ~ I'll bet the outrage behind closed RepublicanT doors was just like this. What Andy writes as satire is probably very close to the truth we don't see or hear.

It was one of these health care weekends that brought some harsh realities to Wendell Potter who then resigned from Aetna Health Insurance began speaking to the American public with a deep and knowledgeable understanding of how the insurance companies have been screwing us for so many years. Some may think this is only done in the south and they would be wrong, health fairs or whatever name is used are taken to all states, counties and cities and towns in the US. Though they continue to operate the group is in dire need of money, transportation and volunteers.

If the US were the BEST health care in the world, why would the US being number 37 in standing by the WHO? All of this "We are number One is fine for sports games, but this is our life, the lives of our children and their children. Now, I will agree we are number in cost. Obama care may help some but over all as long as health is for profit, it's a losing proposition for the public. Aasif Mandvi is one of my favorite "reporters" on the Daily Show.

Yep, Andy did it again and we both posted that.

I don't really care about who the republicans run, they had one chance in 2012 but didn't allow him a voice. John Huntsman is about as close as these neo-cons get to a moderate thinking man. His creative answers for the homeless in Utah was bold, brave fiscally logical and most important it worked.

Rand Paul, talks a good game but for a man that practices medicine without a license how could he ever be considered for the highest office? Ted Cruz, well I best not go there. There is not much I can say about him without using some very adult expressive language. Though I am sure he has to look up to see pond scum.

Some may think LBJ and only remember Vietnam, but poverty was the real issue that he cared about. Why must everything we attempt to ameliorate always be viewed through the lens of war? There is no winning a WAR on poverty. There are ways to help people help themselves up and out of poverty but it can not be bombed, shot or conquered. Ending poverty is one the most noble of goals and should not be compared to an act of violence.

Thanks for an interesting collection of news things, TC and best of luck with the test and new position.

Congrats on your new position, I know you will qualify for it. You will be an asset. Take care of yourself while you are preparing. We need you here to keep us on our toes.

Upworthy: The Repbs don't have an answer when they are presented the truth. My mother was taken to the ER last week, a true emergency. The lobby was full of people with various illnesses that could have been taken care of by an MD, but they had no money to pay for it.

The New Yorker" Andy always gets it right.

Daily KOs: I have never seen her before, but she is sooooo right.

Cartoon: LBJ tried to help the people who were destitute, the war continues. Will it ever be won? NOt while the GOP is calling the shots.

Thanks for the congrats! I won't be allowed in any new places, but I will be allowed freedom of movement to and from my allowed places. Also, when certified, I won't be counted as a guess, aqllowing my guys to invite more guests.

Puzzle — 3:11 I was more less with the flow but carried away with its sweet nectar.

Upworthy — I've seen that one before. The Faux Noise commentator was almost speechless near the end. Too bad the fool wasn't speechless! All these Republicanus/Teabaggers are heartless and soulless idiots. Healthcare for everyone . . . as long as you can pay for it! If you can't pay for it, that is your fault. Assholes!!

The New Yorker — LOL! Andy did it yet again! He has the Republicanus/Teabaggers pegged!

Daily Kos — Krystal is on the ball and hit a home run.

Cartoon — As long as there are Republicanus/Teabaggers abounding, the war on poverty will be needed. LBJ knew what needed to be done. I hope that today's Democrats can make happen what LBJ didn't have time to do. We know we can't count on the GOP.

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